Razer Kraken 7.1 V2

The Razer Kraken 7.1 V2 is already that second product of the Californians which we on TechWatch testing. And just like the Ripsaw, the Kraken 7.1 V2 does some things right. Our former concerns about Razer we have to revise it now. If you prefer speakers, you should read our review of the Razer Chroma Nommo in the PC speaker test look at.

The Razer Kraken 7.1 V2 offers the best surround sound in comparison and is a real all-rounder at a reasonable price.

Razer here, Razer there

The Ripsaw review mentioned above began with the quote below. And although it is true that the Californians have not yet provided a test winner, at least the statement about the price is no longer correct. "We think most of the Californian products are good, but mostly too expensive and not very good." Compared to similarly good products, Razer currently offers rather cheap products. The Kraken 7.1 V2 is also the cheapest representative in our gaming headset test series. But you don't see that in the product. The device comes in the typical black look. The headphones are made of leather that is flexible Microphone can be pushed in completely. And although the Kraken doesn't ventilate as wonderfully as the open Audio-Technica, the leather doesn't bother us. Even long sessions can be carried out comfortably.

On the side of the headphones is an LED-illuminated Razer logo. With the help of Synapse, different colors and modes can be selected here. Whether that makes sense or not, we leave it at that. Getting there you will hardly be able to Lighting to admire. Ambient light is also not generated because the LEDs are too dark to really shine. For streamers or regular LAN party visitors, however, an added value can be seen. And since we're still dealing with the cheapest product, the most obvious point of criticism is gone. In terms of workmanship, the Kraken is consistently convincing. The size adjustment of the headset is precise and smooth. Only the weight of 329 grams is a bit too high. Otherwise, nothing disturbs the high level of comfort.

Dangerously loud

In order to use the Kraken properly, Razer Synpase should be installed. While the last few months have changed my mind about Team Green, Synapse remains obnoxious. The test shows that the Kraken gets better with each disabled option in the software. More on that in the microphone section of this review. Let's stick to the sound. At the beginning of the introduction, the 7.1 surround sound of the headset can be configured. In our test, the standard settings could be accepted without hesitation. And indeed, the Kraken offers the best surround sound of the tested headsets. This makes the headset the one-eyed one among the blind, because digital surround sound is useless and sounds terrible.

The headphones are insulated, but still leave room for more. We like this feature because you can still hear your own voice. At least if you haven't made the mistake of testing the Kraken at full volume. The Kraken 7.1 V2 is infinitely loud. We're talking about 105 dB and a volume that is on par with loudspeakers. As we tossed the Kraken off his head in disgust and bruises, every word Nick Carter sang was clear. If you take your conducting career seriously, you should set the headset volume to 50%. The sound itself is good, but it doesn't come close to the quality of the Audio-Technica. For music and gaming, however, this is absolutely sufficient. 

To avoid premature wear on your ears, take control of the Razer Kraken's volume away from programs. Playback Devices > Razer Kraken > Properties > Advanced > Uncheck "Applications have sole control of the device".

Horror software

The Kraken's microphone initially sounds more than modest. There are also problems with interrupted transmissions within calls. Solving the problem is simple. Sets the microphone sensitivity to 100% and then levels with the microphone volume. Disables "Active Noise Reduction". Sets the "Volume Normalization" and the "Ambient Noise Reduction" to values ​​between 20 and 30%. After that, the Razer Kraken 7.1 V2 doesn't even sound that bad. We would even say that it is the second best headset in terms of microphone in the test. Hissing is hardly audible, the voice seems clear and powerful but a bit unnatural. The s-sounds are close to becoming a problem, but apart from that there is little to complain about the Kraken's microphone.

Saved at the right ends

In terms of scope of delivery, Razer was able to absolutely convince us with the Ripsaw. The unboxing experience in particular was a dream. Razer does not disappoint with the Kraken either. The headset box is the most organized. Unfortunately, Razer hardly includes any additional equipment. There is no jack adapter to use your own sound card. The USB cable is also relatively short and became a problem in our setup. An extension is not included. In view of the low price, however, one can say that Razer has saved in the right places. If you use expensive sound cards, you will hardly buy a 90€ headset. And if you are a big fan of cable management, you have to use the cheap extension that many of you probably already have at home. Nevertheless, the Kraken performs weaker than the competition here.

Another price-performance winner

In the end, Razer only has to issue the same certificate as last time. The Kraken 7.1 V2 isn't the best headset in comparison, but it's really good. At the time of this review, it is also a good €250 cheaper than the Audio-Technica ATH-ADG1X, which is our test winner. The RGB LEDs are a nice touch, if you don't like them you can turn off the fun right away and never be bothered by it. The sound could be better, we personally prefer open headphones and fabric inlays. But all of that hardly matters. The Razer Kraken 7.1 V2 is our price-performance winner and can only be warmly recommended.